You, Just You
by Darveymylove
Summary: A one shot inspired by a picture from Sarah and Gabriel's photoshoot. Also a possible scenario for season 9. Established Darvey!


Donna keeps her head held high as she passes Faye Richardson's office, however, her eyes remain diverted.

And she wonders if she looks as shaken as she feels.

She'd just over heard a group of gossiping associates in the kitchen, her own name at the center of the scandal. Not staying long enough to hear the full story, catching hushed words as they whispered to one another.

_Not even qualified._

_Hasn't taken an ounce of blame._

_Swanning around like she owns the place._

_Her fault._

_Why does Specter put up with her?_

_She must be good in bed._

She'd fled at the eruption of laughter, casting her eyes to the ceiling in an attempt to keep the tears at bay.

It'd been two weeks since the woman from the Bar association had landed in at their firm, causing all kinds of commotion, as she picked away at each partner's past, marking them off one by one. No one was certain what her actual end goal was, she kept her cards close to her chest, leaving them all teetering on the edge of madness and paranoia.

The thing that took them all the most by surprise however, was her seeming lack of interest in Donna. Even the redhead herself was agonizingly aware that she was the obvious first target, yet Richardson had chosen to ignore her, never addressing her in meetings, never responding to her suggestions or making eye contact. The only form of acknowledgment she'd ever received from her, was a condescending glance up and down.

It was infuriating, and while Donna knew she should probably be thankful for the lack of interest, all it did was drive her up the walls. If there was one thing the COO hated, it was being overlooked.

She'd experienced it her whole career, always just the secretary, always irrelevant, when she and those around her knew deep down that without her, this place would have collapsed from the inside out years ago.

She feels the heat of reserved resentment from some of her colleagues, Samantha in particular. The fact that she hasn't been hit with the same level of scrutiny as the rest of them wears on the other partners, especially considering that the COO was the catalyst for this investigation in the first place.

Guilt wraps tightly in her chest as she makes her way into the woman's restroom, needing a short reprieve from the prying eyes of her workmates.

Her and Harvey's newfound relationship hadn't helped matters at all, however it was the one aspect of this situation she found herself completely unapologetic for.

The happiness she felt knowing that they'd finally made it to where they were meant to be fueled her through the tough days. They deserved it, years of futile suffering at the hands of each other wiped away every time they touched.

She'd endure the gossiping, the sneering, the outright accusations, a thousand times over, if it meant he was hers.

But that doesn't mean it doesn't really hurt sometimes.

Donna locks the stall door behind her, never willing to let anyone see her break, not wanting to tear at the outward façade of indifference and confidence she'd spent the last decade building.

Her hand goes to her mouth as she gasps a soft cry, muffling the sound as she sinks down on the closed toilet seat, dropping her face into her hands and breathing heavily.

She hears the swinging open of the door from outside and tries to compose herself, despite still being concealed behind the closed stall.

The footsteps are gentle and quiet, no sound of heels which catches her off guard, before she hears a soft knock at her stall door, and it clicks with her.

"Donna?"

The sound of her name on his lips elicits another small sob, enough of a reply for him.

"Open the door, please." She doesn't want too, afraid he'll think that he's done this to her, blame himself for this mess when they're in this together.

Sense snaps in her mind and she mumbles, "Harvey, you shouldn't be in here, you can't do whatever you want while she's around-"

"Gretchen is standing watch outside, no one saw me come in here." He reassures her, but she still feels anxiety curl in her stomach, the last thing they need is another scandal, but the soft tone of his voice is like a soothing lullaby to her ears, and she's not even thinking as her hand reaches out to unlock the clasp.

She looks up at him, a certain amount of shame hanging in the air between them, she's casting it out but he's not catching that line, knowing better.

They may have only taken the plunge a couple of weeks ago but he's already all the better for it, learning how to handle his insecurity of hurting her, or letting her down in some way.

This isn't about him, or what he's done, it's about others, and he understands that from the way she looks at him, her lips parted and eyes kind, although sadness still resides there, her face harrowed.

"Gretchen told me what happened," he explains, reaching out a hand which she accepts, letting him pull her into a hug, "She also told me, _rather proudly_, how she put the fear of God in them and scattered the group."

He feels her tremble with a small laugh, her cheeks rising against his skin.

"I'm sorry you have to put up with all that, I wish more of it was directed at me." He admits, it's something he's thought about in the past few weeks, how she is always the victim of cruel stereotyping and vicious rumors, whereas he, more often than not comes out unscathed.

"It's not your fault," she replies, pulling back slightly to look at him, he reaches a hand to her cheek, stoking away a few final tears and giving her a tight smile, "I never let it bother me, but for some reason today it just…"

"I get it," he sympathizes with her, giving her waist a squeeze, "you don't have to convince me of how strong you are Donna, I already know, and it's one of the many reasons I love you."

The breath catches in her throat. No matter how often she hears him say it, it still has the same mystical effect.

"I just need you to know that it doesn't change how I feel about you, and it never will." She implores him, not able to stand the thought of him blaming himself for any of this.

A chaste kiss to her bottom lip is all she receives in reply, but it's more than words could ever communicate.

She feels ten times better for his touch and though the spiteful words still linger, she's more able to face them at his side.

Always strongest together.

"That was nice." She breathes as he pulls away.

He hums his response.

"Now, get out of here Specter, before people start to get suspicious." Donna pats his chest, turning her attention to the mirror, wrestling with her reflection to get it back to normal.

XXX

It's later that evening, the sun long ago set over the Manhattan skyline, when she finds herself summoned to the library by email for a meeting. Faye is by no means specific about what exactly the meeting is for, but she can take a good guess based off the list of email addresses attached. Just herself and the name partners.

She's there in ten minutes and though the meeting is short is seems to drag on forever, Faye's bitter and loaded spiel grating at her last nerve.

"Has anyone got any questions before I wrap up?" Faye asks with feigned sweetness.

"Yes, actually, I have." Donna replies, and the others look at her with a certain amount of surprise, and perhaps even an ounce of annoyance, "Some of the associates have been asking questions with regards to how and when they will be reviewed, since you haven't said anything about how you intend to do so I was wondering what I should be telling them?"

The blonde looks Donna up and down, her eyes seemingly holding a certain hue of amusement, as though she finds Donna's presence comical.

She directs her response at Louis.

"Who is the head of the associates? Seems like a conversation I should be having with them." The dig is subtle but they all detect it.

Louis opens his mouth to respond but Donna gets there first.

"Actually, that would be me," The COO gives a tight smile, "I'm covering for Katrina Bennet while she's on personal leave, so you can give your answer to _me_."

There's a tense silence that hangs over the group, Harvey almost combusting with pride from the inside out, while for the first time in a month, Samantha gives Donna a look of approval.

"That won't be necessary, I'll find _someone_ _else_ to cover for Miss Bennet. If that's all-""Excuse me?" Donna interrupts, standing her ground.

"Did I stutter Miss Paulsen?" Faye smirks, taking a short couple of steps in the redhead's direction, "You are not a lawyer, you're COO by the skin of your teeth, and you expect me to allow _you_, to run the associates pool? What exactly does that say about this firm."

"Perhaps if you so much as looked my way, you'd see that I am qualified to do what I do, and not only that, I'm damn well good at it.""That's enough," Faye raises a hand, "You think I haven't been watching you? The way you swan around here, like you're not just a glorified secretary who slept her way to the top," her gaze flickers to Harvey's momentarily, "And worse still, it's like you're actually proud of it."

"Maybe you should think more carefully before you throw around accusations like that –" Donna bites back.

"Oh, there's plenty more I could say for you Miss Paulsen, or have you forgotten that your firm probably wouldn't be in this situation were it not for your mistakes." She chuckles, "As for the associates, not only are you unfit to manage them, but the lack of respect they have for you is apparent, so how can you be expected to lead them?"

It's a low blow and it takes all the composure Donna has not to hit the roof.

Faye moves closer, her final comments said in a hushed tone but still just loud enough for the others to hear, an intentional move, "Women like you sicken me, the ones who actually deserve what they get are stereotyped because of the crude things people like you do to get to the top, well, I won't stand for it, your days are numbered, Donna." Everyone in the room can't help but wish she understood the irony of her words.

And with that she turns on her heel, marching calmly from the library with a satisfied sway of her hips.

The redhead expels a breath, keeping her composure, her face unmoving, eyes dry, rooted to the spot, weighed down by the ream of insults.

The others begin to filter away in silence, their gazes flickering from Donna, to Harvey and back to Donna. Each one of their faces portraying some unique form of horror, pity and sympathy.

She won't let herself break, no matter how battered she feels by the personal attack.

They're left alone and she hears Harvey move, the shuffle of his feet against the carpet as he approaches her from behind. But she feels distant, far from here and she likes it that way, not wanting to be grounded by his touch back in this room, for then it might all become too much, too soon.

"It's not true." He whispers, an inch or two away from her, watching her shoulders tense in response.

"Some of it is." Her voice is small, wavering.

"None of that matters, she's wrong –""It still hurts." And her gaze drops to the floor, a curtain of red shielding her face from the outside.

The remark hits him square in the chest and it takes him back to the conversation they had earlier, how he wishes now more than ever that he could take these hits for her.

"We'll get past this, she won't be here forever-"

"By the sounds of things, neither will I." The admission weighs heavy on both their hearts and he notices how her breath hitches at the realization.

"If you go, I go." He means it, and she wishes he didn't, but doesn't argue, not having the energy.

He knows that right now, to discuss this further would only make matters worse, what she needs is an escape, he's almost sure, but lets the questions slip nonetheless.

"What do you need?" he asks, coming closer so that his breath rouses the bare skin of her shoulder, one hand travelling around to her waist from behind while the other lingers over her arm, at the crook of her elbow, neither touching, just yet.

"You. Just you."

And they're leaning into each other, accepting that he is the only cure to the hurt, they're in this together and they always have been, he's both the cause and the remedy but she wouldn't change it for the world.

And maybe after everything.

Cases, and criminals, wins and losses.

All they were really fighting for was this.

The right to hold each other, the right to feel loved by the only one that mattered.

Oh so suddenly, it seems like the only end goal.

And here they are.

**Xxx**

**This short one shot was inspired by Laura (frenchdarvey) Sending me one of the screenshots from the photo shoot, and this sort of just wrote itself in an instant in my mind!**

**Hope you liked it, and the more I think about it, the more it seems like it could be a possibly scenario for s9 :)**

**Xxx**


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